This invention relates to electrostatic flocking systems. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved electrostatic flocking system having an electrostatic gun with a nozzle for use in applying flock fibers to relatively extensive surface areas.
A wide variety of electrostatic flocking systems and equipment therefor is available throughout the prior art. Typically, such systems comprise flock supply equipment such as air pumps, fluidic beds, etc. for entraining flock fibers within a propelling air stream and for carrying the fibers to an electrostatic flocking gun. There, the entrained flock fibers are electrostatically charged and are carried by the electrostatic field and/or the propelling air stream toward an electrically grounded adhesive coated surface of an article being coated. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,178.
In the prior art, some electrostatic flocking guns have included a nozzle for causing the charged flock fibers to assume a specific geometric spray pattern upon exiting the gun. See, for example, U.S. application Ser. No. 673,439, filed Apr. 5, 1976, now abandoned, and U.S. application Ser. No. 724,029, filed Sept. 16, 1976, both of which are owned by the assignee of this application. However, these and other prior art nozzles have not successfully provided apparatus for spreading charged flock fibers into a relatively extensive geometric pattern for use in flocking correspondingly extensive surface areas. Accordingly, when flocking extensive surface areas such as a wall or the like, many passes of the flocking gun over the surface have been required in order to obtain a complete, uniformly dense flock coating. This procedure is relatively time-consuming, and requires a relatively high degree of operator skill to prevent erratic flock coatings.
This invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing an electrostatic flocking system having an electrostatic gun with a nozzle for use in quickly and uniformly flocking extensive surface areas.